Open for fun!

We've learned our lesson: flying to anywhere in the States from an American location is way cheaper than traveling from Canada. This time we saved more than a third of the tickets, but we had the hassle to travel a couple of hours to Buffalo, NY. As expected for a Friday before the long weekend, traffic was a bit heavy, but still good when we left before 4pm. At the Buffalo airport, most of the passengers were flashing their Canadian passports. I guess we were not the only smart ones!
We took a couple of flights (Buffalo – Charlotte and Charlotte – New Orleans) and arrived in the jazz paradise just before midnight (local - central- time).

Check in at midnight! But instead of turning into pumpkins, we got a second wind and headed to the party area, a few blocks away from our friendly hotel. "Let's just have a look and a drink," we said to each other. I guess that's the biggest lie in this city! It's impossible to leave the craziness before the music stops. Sure enough: we got back to the hotel (after a few drinks) after 3am!

This is the view from our room, on the 7th floor. The Queen and Crescent Hotel is an affortable simple accomodation, a couple of blocks out of the French Quarter. So far, so good!


Getting close!

There it is: the entrance to the craziness!

I am not sure yet what it looks like during the day. But for sure, at night, it is one of the most fun places we've ever been!

It's very hot here: about 25 C at night and over 30 during the day time.

I LOVE the architecture!

This is famous Bourbon Street!

It is a very long street with tons of bars blasting any kind of music - from rapp to country-, people drinking on the streets, dancing everywhere, partying themselves like there is no tomorrow.

It is probably as crazy as Vegas, but I think it is more real here.

There is so much good material to take photos of!

People are really stylish and places are very unique.

People stay on the balconies throwing beads to people walking by.

After asking for some beads and getting them, I realized later that the rule is to flash your boobs to get better beads. We actually saw girls doing it, right there, on the middle of the street.

Like millions of tourists who come to New Orleans every year, we also came after the jazz.

But we were dissapointed for a little while because we heard anything and everything, but jazz.

Untill we found the Fritzel's bar.

This place was amazing!!!!

It is a small bar, with chairs organized as a theatre, around the stage.

So, you walk in, grab a drink, sit and enjoy the fantastic orginal Southern Jazz!

There is no cover, but people are encouraged to contribute with some money in the tip jar.

This is the real stuff we were looking for!!!!!

What an amazing time!

Just like in the movies, the music and the good athmosphere just took over our souls.

We were the happiest people in the whole world!

The decoration was also out of a movie!

Best quality of musicians.

They don't sell food at the bar, but you can just run outside, grab a hot dog with chilli for $5 and eat inside while enjoying the best music!

On Bourbon Street, Mike chooses the best drink too.
Front row seats! Can't get any better!

We left the bar around 3am and the party was still happening. We asked the waitress "when is the last call?" "A long time ago," she said. "But you will keep serving anyway, right?" With a naughty smile in her face, she had the best and most obvious answer: "It's New Orleans!"